pierre paulin tongue chair

pierre paulin tongue chair

"A chair should be more than simply functional. It should be friendly, fun and colorful." -Pierre Paulin

Feel free to speak easy in this low lounge chair. The flowing form and significant colors enable uninhibited interior seating accents to set tongues-a-wagging. Tongue whispers gently and whose flowing shape and subtle colors make it possible to create interior seating accents easily and, most of all, expressively. Designed in 1967, the tongue chair is part of the permanent design collection of the Museum of Modern art in New York.

Pierre Paulin studied stone carving and clay modeling at the Ecole Camondo in Paris in the early fifties where he began designing furniture for Thonet. In 1958, he became the designer for Artifort where he created a series of sculptural chairs with an inner structure of steel tubing, covered in foam and fabric. In 1968, Paulin collaborated with Le Mobilier National and received many important government commissions including furniture and interiors for the Elysee Palace in Paris. He also designed home appliances.

25.2" h | 33.5" w | 35.4" d | seat: 13" h

$2,933.00 + free shipping in the continental U.S.
(please allow 8-12 weeks for this special chair to be created and shipped to your location)

Born in Paris and grew up in Laon, Pierre Paulin (b. 1927) acquired a passion for creating from his great uncle, sculptor Freddy Stoll and another uncle, car designer George Paulin. This experience led to studying stone carving and clay modeling at the Ecole Camondo in Paris in the early fifties, where he began designing furniture for Thonet with concern for simplicity and use of sensuous curves. In 1958, he became the designer for Artifort, where he created a series of sculptural chairs with an inner structure of steel tubing, covered in foam and fabric. 1968 to 1972 proved to be significant years for Paulin, from collaborations with Le Mobilier National to many important government commissions, including furniture and interiors for President Pomidou at the Elysee Palace in Paris, and assisting development of the Louvre’s Denon wing. He also designed home appliances.

The foundations of Artifort were laid by Jules Wagemans. In 1890, he set up business as an upholsterer in Maastricht. His son, Henricus Wagemans, expanded the company into a furniture factory, which had a showroom in Amsterdam by the end of the 1930’s and was already well known nationally. The economic recession of the nineteen thirties forced H. Wagemans & Van Tuinen, as the furniture company was then known, to create a distinctive profile. The emphasis came to lie on functionality, comfort, and quality combined with aesthetically pleasing design and an innovative use of materials. The new brand name became Artifort, derived from the Latin word 'ars' meaning “art or knowledge”, and 'fortis' meaning “strong or powerful.”